Suddenly inundated with requests for Western recommendations from casual movie fans as well as colleagues who, for whatever reason, had either never tried or gotten into these movies, I thought I’d use this opportunity to serve up five of my most recommended favorites that you can rent as a subscriber to DVD Netflix. Only a fraction of the many, many films in this genre that I adore, nonetheless these are the titles to which I seem to gravitate and talk about the most so saddle up, Pilgrim, and let me share them with you.

Looking back at 1998-1999, I’m hard-pressed to find a better time to be a movie fan in the history of cinema. There are other great years, of course – but was there ever a multi-year period quite like it? A time of tremendous output in terms of volume and quality, the great merger of the big-budget Hollywood production model and the independent spark of creativity. 1998 remained in the shadow, undersold, underappreciated. 1998’s Dark City compared to 1999’s The Matrix. One a box office dud, beloved by a Roger Ebert-led cult of admirers – the other a gargantuan zeitgeist causing a shift in the action spectacle and cinematic aesthetic.

Adrian designed costumes for films from 1923 to 1952, creating more than just gowns, skirts and blouses. His film costumes contributed to the onscreen fantasy world of glamour and dreams. He also created the signature looks Hollywood stars were known for, such as Jean Harlow’s satin, slinky gowns and Joan Crawford’s broad-shouldered suits. From 1929 until 1943, Adrian created nearly all of Joan Crawford’s on-screen costumes and her personal wardrobe, according to his biographer.